Lily’s Vegan Pantry

Vegan Pork Floss (Seaweed & Mushroom)

Lily's Vegan Pantry is a multi-generational institution that has made healthy and delicious vegan alternatives accessible to the Chinatown community. Formerly known as May Wah Vegetarian Market, the grocery store was opened in 1995 by Lee Mee Ng.

Mrs. Ng and her daughter Lily immigrated to the US from Taiwan in 1979. As a devout Taoist, Mrs. Ng was frustrated by the lack of vegetarian options in New York City and decided to open a shop dedicated to the mock meats she ate back home. Slowly, the store became well-known in the vegetarian community by providing ingredients for local households and restaurants.

In 2020, Lily took over the business and relaunched it as a completely vegan market Their most popular items include vegan chicken legs, chicken nuggets, red spotted prawns, and citrus spare ribs. These dishes are wonderful alternatives for people practicing veganism or curious about vegan cuisine. Many of their items are shipped directly from Taiwan, providing access to Taiwanese favorites that many immigrants have missed since moving to the US.

Lily's Vegan Pantry also offers nationwide shipping. They created Chow Vegan, a company that collaborates with local NYC vegan restaurants and ships dishes straight to customers' homes. This partnership has helped source revenue for local restaurants, highlighting the strength and unity of the community which has been hard hit by the COVID pandemic.

For over 25 years, Lily's Vegan Pantry has been a pioneer in seeking the best meat alternatives for its customers. They continue to follow their mantra today: no meat, no egg-scuses. Visit Lily's Vegan Pantry and stock up on healthy food today!

📍 Lily’s Vegan Pantry
213 Hester Street, New York, NY 10012